Hull and deck joint

[Theodore Owens]

I have been restoring a Hunter 25 that fell into a poor state of seaworthiness. I have discovered that there are pesky leaks in the interior, coming from the mating of the deck and hull. I have tighten all the bolts along the gunnel and the leaks presist. Must I remove the toe rail and put a sealant along the deck and replace the rail or is there an easier fix?

 

[Frizzgrig]

Don't know of an easier fix

I'm working on my Hunter 25 and need to replace at least the back third or so of the port toe rail due to damage. I plan on removing all the toe rail, spreading the joint open and sealing with 3M 5200. After the 5200 sets, I'll be replacing the toe rail and sealing it with 3M 4200.If the leaks are just around the bolts, you might be able to just seal the individual bolts by removing them and caulking under the head of the bolt.

 

[Steve Dion]

they had butyl putty in the hull to deck joint.

I assume that you are referring to the original 1974-1983 Hunter 25's. The factory used a butyl putty to seal the hull to deck joint. This stuff would last for many years without getting hard.I do not know if I would use 5200 if you cannot seperate the joint to reseal it. Something that is more flexible and easier to apply may be a better option in case your repair does not take. You will not be able to bond the two piece together again so I do not think that 5200 is going to do you much good.

 

[Frizzgrig]

I guess "many years" is something less than 32

I have a '75 Hunter 25 and the putty under the toe rail is definitely hard in many places. The damaged portions of rail I've removed came up without much resistance. Opening the joint has also not proved to be a problem. I thought about glassing over the joint too.3M and many of the "restore this old boat" articles I've come across suggest that 5200 is appropriate for the hull to deck joint. The rationale goes something like "this is a permanent flexible connection not something you want to take apart."I plan on using the 3M 4200 to bed the toe rail since I may want to remove it in the future. 4200 is supposed to be "easier to remove" than 5200.